Now, industrial chemicals are reportedly being found in food. That’s right, food. Chemicals that are used for industrial purposes — such as adding flexibility to plastic materials — have no reason to be anywhere in the food industry. Yet these chemicals have been found in more that 72 samples of food products taken from around Albany, N.Y.

The chemical predominantly found is phthalates. It is a chemical most often used in the plasticization of home care products such as soap, shampoo, and perfumes. They have been linked to detrimental effects on the reproductive system, including damaging sperm, promoting premature breast development in young girls, and premature birth. Makes you wonder why these chemicals are in our home care products at all — much less our food.

“Although it’s not completely understood how phthalates get into our food, packaging may be a contributor to the levels of the toxin in food,” said lead investigator Arnold Schecter, M.D., M.P.H., professor of environmental health at The University of Texas School of Public Health Dallas Regional campus, part of UTHealth.

The 72 samples were taken from food products including pizza, drinks and meats from supermarkets all over Albany. Levels of phthalates were seen in every single food product purchased.

“It’s unfortunate that we have these toxic chemicals in our bodies,” said Schecter. “However, this is not a cause for alarm because the amount of phthalates found in the food falls below what the Environmental Protection Agency considers safe. But it is cause for concern because these toxins and others previous reported by this group do not belong in our food or our bodies.”

While pediatricians are urging better restrictions on potentially dangerous chemicals, we concerned parents are taking our kids out to eat at restaurants that unknowingly are serving Phthalates as a main course with extra toxins on the side.